The Press-Dispatch
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C-4 Health and Wellness Wednesday, July 2, 2014 The Press-Dispatch H e alth & W e lln e ss A speciAl section for tHe press-DispAtcH 2 pAges Serving PiKe and SUrrOUnding COUnTieS WeDnesDAy, July 2, 2014 Subscribe to The Press-Dispatch BARGAIN PERIOD: Starting at just $23 for local subscribers. Call 812-354-8500 today! Continued on page C-5 UP YoUr FrUit and Vegetable intake (StatePoint) It's no secret that the vitamins and minerals found in fruits and vegetables are a key to good health—from building immunity, to decreasing inflam- mation, to helping you maintain a healthy weight. Luckily, there are many ways to ensure you incorporate a suf- ficient amount of produce in your diet to fuel your day and help you feel great: Snack Smart Have the urge to snack? Sa- tiate hunger while upping your fruit and vegetable intake. Mim- ic the shape and crunch of chips with carrot or cucumber slices. Then pair them with a vegetable or legume-based dip such as sal- sa or hummus. Have a SmootHie "Over the course of the day, it can be challenging to eat the ap- propriate amount of quality fruits and vegetables, particularly for busy adults and young kids," says Tavis Piattoly, MS, RD, a sports dietitian and nutrition consultant for Tulane University Athletics. "If you're on the go or a picky eater, a smoothie is the ultimate solution—just be care- ful though, not all of them are as nutritious as they seem." You can build a better smooth- ie if you're careful. A good start is to incorporate fresh vegetables like carrots and kale. For a meal replacement or a boost of energy, make sure your smoothie contains all the ele- ments of a proper meal. One tasty option is Smoothie King's new line of Greek Yogurt Smoothies made with Greek yogurt and re- al fruits and vegetables. Available in Strawberry Blue- berry, Pineapple Mango and Carrot Orange, they're a good source of protein, probiotics and calcium and contain less than 350 calories. They can also be a great option for kids too, as they are nutritious and tasty. Additionally, you can often customize smoothies to meet your specific needs or goals— whether you're a body builder needing to recover post-work- out, a dieter attempting to lose weight, or you're just looking to improve overall health. Health tests that are a must for diabetics For people with diabetes, it's easy to get caught up in the day- to-day management of the disease. Regular monitoring of blood sugar levels, injections or pumping insu- lin and diet management takes se- rious time and effort. No wonder why people with diabetes (PWD) may feel overwhelmed when it comes to taking regular tests. It's important to step back reg- ularly to see how overall health is faring since diabetes is a system- ic disease. It can affect nearly ev- ery part of ones body. Before diving into the list of tests, people with diabetes need to understand what these tests mean and identify their target re- sults with their healthcare profes- sional. Here is a list of the most critical tests with standards set by the Na- tional Institutes of Health and the American Diabetes Association. Hemoglobin a1c This is the test everyone talks about, for a good reason. An A1C lets you know what your average blood sugar is for the past 2-3 months. Never mind the daily fluc- tuations—the A1C gives you the broadest overall picture.
 This is important because your over- all health will be determined by your long-term management. So if your A1C is low and consistent, you know you're doing a good job, even if you sometimes have chal- lenges in your daily management. If your A1C swings around, or goes high, you know that you'll need to tweak your treatment plan. What's a good A1C? According to the American Diabetes Associ- ation, diabetics should aim for a 7 percent or below. According to the American Society of Endocri- nologists, you should aim for a 6.5 or below. Some doctors urge even lower numbers; A1Cs for non-dia- betics are generally below 6 per- cent. Continued on page C-5